Two Delaware healthcare providers are partnering to bring a collaborative training effort for medical students to the First State.
ChristianaCare and Bayhealth announced they’re teaming up with the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine to establish the Delaware Collaborative Clinical Campus.
Dr. Gary Siegelman is Bayhealth’s Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer
“The collaboration is important, because otherwise, we would not have had this particular program. There probably aren’t many arrangements like this in other states, so the fact that we have good relationships and work together is very helpful for trying to get things done for the community. And, in this case, for giving the medical students a broader teaching experience.” he said.
Bayhealth and Christiana officials say this campus will bring five third-year P-COM students, all from Delaware, to complete clinical rotations in Kent and Sussex counties.
ChristianaCare’s Chief Academic Officer Dr. Brian Levine the practice will be in both ChristianaCare and Bayhealth facilities.
“And this is a great way for those students, who have a Delaware connection, to come back to their community and train. We know that a large percentage of those will want to continue their training here and eventually become clinicians in our community and take care of this region.” he said. "We're very lucky to live in a small state where all of the teaching institutions are collaborative and friends"
ChristianaCare officials say giving students the opportunity to learn and gain experience in Delaware often results in those students wanting to stay and provide care once they graduate.
"This has been done for decades," said Siegelman. "There is very close supervision- they're interviewing the patient, they're examining the patient to some to degree, but the faculty are involved throughout all parts of that experience"
"And most patients appreciate a second set of eyes," added Levine. "Medical students take a bit extra time in trying to get an exact history and perform an appropriate physical exam under the eyes of an experienced clinician. I think the care is elevated when you have learners there, because the teachers have to be really on their game"
ChristianaCare and Bayhealth officials both say the move will address “persistent” shortages in primary care, dental, and mental health resources across the state- in addition to strengthening the flow of healthcare professionals coming to Delaware.
Last year, Delaware filed for $1 billion in federal funding as part of the national Rural Health Transformation Program. At that time, Delaware Division of Public Health reported the bulk of the state is considered medically underserved.
The program’s set to begin this July.
